|
(11) | EP 2 213 590 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||
| (54) | Rigid, hinged-lid packet of cigarettes with a rear coupon |
| (57) A packet (1) of cigarettes having a group (4) of cigarettes; an inner package (3)
enclosing the group (4) of cigarettes and having a front wall (21) and a rear wall
(22); an outer container (2) housing the inner package (3) and having a lid (7) hinged
along a hinge (8), a front wall (11), and a rear wall (12) opposite the front wall
(11) and having the hinge (8); and a coupon (26) housed inside the outer container
(2), contacting the rear wall (22) of the inner package (3), and between the rear
wall (12) of the outer container (2) and the rear wall (22) of the inner package (3).
|
TECHNICAL FIELD
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] A rigid packet of cigarettes comprises a cardboard outer container with a hinged lid; and an inner package housed inside the outer container and containing a group of cigarettes. And a sheet of transparent plastic overwrapping material (normally polypropylene) is wrapped about the outer container and heat sealed to preserve the moisture and aroma of the tobacco.
[0003] Some packets of cigarettes contain a coupon in the form of a single or fan-folded sheet printed, for example, with advertising, or in the form of a picture card. The coupon is normally located between the outer container and the transparent plastic overwrapping, so the coupon is visible without opening the packet; or is located inside the outer container, at the front, i.e. between a front wall of the inner package and a front wall of the outer container.
[0004] The inner package of most packets is made of foil, and has a top, so-called pull-off portion, at the top and front, which is pulled off when unsealing the packet, to access the cigarettes inside the inner package. When located inside the outer container, in front of the front wall of the inner package, the coupon covers the top pull-off portion of the inner package, making it difficult to remove the top pull-off portion without first removing the coupon. This is often a source of annoyance to smokers, who would prefer to extract at least some of the cigarettes without having to remove the coupon first, e.g. because a convenient waste-bin in which to discard the coupon, or a safe place in which to conserve the coupon is not readily available.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide a rigid, hinged-lid packet of cigarettes with a coupon, designed to eliminate the above drawbacks, and which at the same time is cheap and easy to produce.
[0006] According to the present invention, there is provided a rigid, hinged-lid packet of cigarettes with a coupon, as claimed in the accompanying Claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] A number of non-limiting embodiments of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 shows a front view in perspective of a packet of cigarettes in accordance with the present invention in a closed configuration;
Figure 2 shows a front view in perspective of the Figure 1 packet of cigarettes in an open configuration;
Figure 3 shows a rear view in perspective of the Figure 1 packet of cigarettes in a closed configuration;
Figure 4 shows a front view in perspective of an inner package of the Figure 1 packet;
Figure 5 shows a rear view in perspective of a first embodiment of the inner package in Figure 4;
Figure 6 shows a rear view in perspective of a second embodiment of the inner package in Figure 4;
Figures 7 and 8 show two views in perspective of a third embodiment of the inner package in Figure 4;
Figures 9a-9n show respective alternative embodiments of a coupon inserted inside the Figure 1 packet of cigarettes.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0008] Number 1 in Figures 1, 2 and 3 indicates as a whole a rigid packet of cigarettes comprising a cup-shaped, rigid-cardboard outer container 2, and a package 3 housed inside container 2. Package 3 contains a parallelepiped-shaped group 4 of cigarettes, and has a top, so-called pull-off portion 5, at the top and front, which is pulled off when unsealing packet 1, to access the cigarettes inside package 3.
[0009] Container 2 has an open top end 6; and a cup-shaped lid 7 hinged to container 2 along a hinge 8 to rotate, with respect to container 2, between an open position (Figure 2) and a closed position (Figures 1 and 3) opening and closing open top end 6 respectively.
[0010] When lid 7 is in the closed position, container 2 is in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped comprising a top wall 9 and a bottom wall 10 opposite and parallel to each other; two opposite, parallel major lateral walls 11 and 12; and two opposite, parallel minor lateral walls 13. More specifically, one major lateral wall 11 defines a front wall of container 2, and the other major lateral wall 12 defines a rear wall of container 2. Four longitudinal edges 14 are defined between minor lateral walls 13 and front and rear walls 11, 12; and eight transverse edges 15 are defined between top and bottom walls 9, 10 and front, rear, and minor lateral walls 11, 12, 13.
[0011] Packet 1 comprises a collar 16, which is folded into a U and fitted (glued) inside container 2, and projects partly from open top end 6 to engage a corresponding inner surface of lid 7 in the closed position. Collar 16 comprises a front wall 17 positioned contacting front wall 11 of container 2; and two lateral walls 18 located on opposite sides of front wall 17 and positioned contacting minor lateral walls 13 of container 2.
[0012] As shown more clearly in Figures 4 to 8, package 3 is in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped, and comprises a top wall 19 and a bottom wall 20 opposite and parallel to each other, and which, when packet 1 is closed, contact top wall 9 and bottom wall 10 of outer container 2 respectively; two opposite, parallel major lateral walls 21 and 22; and two opposite, parallel minor lateral walls 23. More specifically, one major lateral wall 21 defines a front wall 21 of package 3, which, in use, contacts front wall 11 of container 2 and front wall 17 of collar 16; the other major lateral wall 22 defines a rear wall 22 of package 3, which, in use, contacts rear wall 12 of container 2; and each of the two minor lateral walls 23 contacts a respective minor lateral wall 13 of container 2, and a respective lateral wall 18 of collar 16.
[0013] Four longitudinal edges 24 are defined between minor lateral walls 23 and front and rear walls 21, 22; and eight transverse edges 25 are defined between top and bottom walls 19, 20 and front, rear, and minor lateral walls 21, 22, 23.
[0014] Packet 1 also comprises a coupon 26 printed with advertising or in the form of a picture card, and which comprises a portion 27 which is gripped by the user to extract coupon 26 from packet 1, but does not prevent free access by the user to the cigarettes in package 3 after removing pull-off portion 5.
[0015] More specifically, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, coupon 26 comprises a single sheet of paper of roughly the same width as, but no wider than, rear wall 22 or top wall 19 of package 3, and which is L-shaped, i.e. comprises a rear portion 28 in addition to grip portion 27. Grip portion 27 is a top portion 27 of coupon 26, and is the same width as rear portion 28. Top portion 27 is located between top wall 19 of package 3 and top wall 9 of outer container 2 when packet 1 is closed; an edge 29 is defined between rear portion 28 and top portion 27; and rear portion 28 is interposed between rear wall 22 of package 3 and rear wall 12 of outer container 2. As shown in Figure 5, rear portion 28 is fixed to rear wall 22 by a transverse line 30 of weak-stick glue applied close to a bottom edge 31 of rear portion 28.
[0016] When packet 1 is open, portion 27 springs slightly back up off top wall 19 of inner package 3, so the user of packet 1, to extract coupon 26 from packet 1, can grip portion 27 easily and pull slightly on it to detach coupon 26 completely from package 3 and extract it easily from container 2.
[0017] This embodiment can also be applied to advantage to so-called multifold coupons 26, i.e. comprising a fan-folded sheet of paper. In which case, coupon 26 has a first sheet glued by a line 30 of weak-stick glue, and having bottom edge 31 and two lateral edges 32; and coupon 26 may be folded either along bottom edge 31 or along one of lateral edges 32, and be detached completely from package 3 when extracted by the user from container 2.
[0018] In the Figure 6 embodiment, a line 30 of strong-stick glue is applied, and a transverse tear line 33 is formed above line 30 and is torn when coupon 26 is extracted by the user from packet 1. In this variation, rear portion 28 of coupon 26 (a detailed plan view of which is shown in Figure 9a) is therefore divided into two parts : a central part 34 connected to top portion 27, and which is removed by the user together with top portion 27; and a bottom part 35 comprising line 30 of strong-stick glue, and which remains fixed to package 3 even after coupon 26 is removed.
[0019] When packet 1 is open, portion 27 springs slightly back up off top wall 19 of inner package 3, so the user of packet 1, to extract coupon 26 from packet 1, can grip portion 27 easily and pull slightly on it to tear transverse tear line 33, detach central part 34 of portion 28 and top portion 27 of coupon 26 from bottom portion 35, and extract part 34 and portion 27 easily from container 2.
[0020] In the Figure 9b variation, top portion 27 is rectangular and narrower than rear portion 28; bottom part 35 of coupon 26 comprises two substantially rectangular appendixes 38 bounded at the top by transverse tear line 33, which is torn when coupon 26 is extracted by the user from packet 1; and each appendix 38 is glued to rear wall 22 of package 3 by a spot 39 of strong-stick glue.
[0021] This embodiment can also be applied to advantage to multifold coupons 26, i.e. comprising a fan-folded sheet of paper. In which case, coupon 26 has a first sheet glued to rear wall 22 of package 3, and may be folded along either of lateral edges 32.
[0022] In a further embodiment shown in detail in Figures 7 and 8, coupon 26 comprises top portion 27 narrower than rear portion 28. Rear portion 28 extends the full length of rear wall 22 of package 3, and coupon 26 has a bottom portion 36 comprising two substantially rectangular tabs 36 perpendicular to rear portion 28, folded about an edge 37, and inserted between bottom wall 20 of package 3 and bottom wall 10 of outer container 2. In this embodiment, rear portion 28 of coupon 26 has a transverse tear line 33, which is torn when coupon 26 is extracted by the user from packet 1, and which divides portion 28 into central part 34 and bottom part 35. Central part 34 is connected to top portion 27 and removed together with top portion 27 by the user; and bottom part 35 remains connected to package 3, even after coupon 26 is removed, by tabs 36 gripped between bottom wall 20 of package 3 and bottom wall 10 of outer container 2.
[0023] When packet 1 is open, portion 27 springs slightly back up off top wall 19 of inner package 3, so the user of packet 1, to extract coupon 26 from packet 1, can grip portion 27 easily and pull slightly on it to tear transverse tear line 33, detach central part 34 of portion 28 and top portion 27 of coupon 26 from bottom portion 35, and extract part 34 and portion 27 easily from container 2.
[0024] For an even more stable connection, a line of strong-stick glue (not shown) may be applied below transverse tear line 33 to glue the inner surface of bottom part 35 to rear wall 22 of package 3, and/or a spot of glue (not shown) may be applied to the inner surface of each tab 36 to glue them to bottom wall 20 of package 3.
[0025] In the Figure 9c variation, the inner surface of each tab 36 is glued by a spot 39 of strong-stick glue to bottom wall 20 of inner package 3, and the two tabs 36 are bounded at the top by transverse tear line 33 formed along edge 37.
[0026] In the Figure 9d variation, bottom portion 36 is the same width as rear portion 28, and is bounded at the top by transverse tear line 33 formed along edge 37, and the inner surface of bottom portion 36 is glued by a line 30 of strong-stick glue to bottom wall 20 of inner package 3.
[0027] In the Figure 9e variation, top portion 27 and bottom portion 36 are the same width as rear portion 28, so coupon 26 as a whole is substantially rectangular. And bottom portion 36 is bounded at the top by transverse tear line 33 formed along edge 37.
[0028] In the Figure 9g variation, top portion 27 and bottom portion 36 are the same width as rear portion 28. The inner surface of rear portion 28 is glued by a line 30 of strong-stick glue to rear wall 22 of package 3. And line 30 of strong-stick glue is applied close to edge 37, and is bounded at the top by transverse tear line 33.
[0029] In the Figure 9i variation, top portion 27 and bottom portion 36 are narrower than rear portion 28, which is glued by a line 30 of strong-stick glue to rear wall 22 of package 3. And line 30 of strong-stick glue is applied close to edge 37, and is bounded at the top by transverse tear line 33.
[0030] In the Figure 9l variation, top portion 27 and bottom portion 36 are narrower than rear portion 28. The inner surface of bottom portion 36 is glued by a spot 39 of strong-stick glue to bottom wall 20 of package 3, and bottom portion 36 is bounded at the top by transverse tear line 33 formed along edge 37.
[0031] In the Figure 9f variation, top portion 27 and bottom portion 36 are the same width as rear portion 28. Bottom portion 36 extends the full length of bottom wall 20 of inner package 3, and is connected to a front portion 40 perpendicular, in use, to bottom portion 36. An edge 41 is defined between front portion 40 and bottom portion 36, and front portion 40 is inserted, in use, between front wall 11 of container 2 and front wall 21 of inner package 3. And bottom portion 36 is bounded at the top by transverse tear line 33 formed along edge 37.
[0032] The Figure 9h variation differs from the one in Figure 9f by top portion 27, bottom portion 36, and front portion 40 being narrower than rear portion 28.
[0033] Figures 9m and 9n show two embodiments of a multifold coupon 26, i.e. defined by a folded sheet of paper. More specifically, Figure 9m shows a multifold coupon 26 comprising four longitudinally fan-folded sheets 42, 42', 42", 42"'. Sheet 42 of coupon 26 is positioned contacting rear wall 22 of package 3, and is connected to top portion 27 and bottom portion 36, which are narrower than sheet 42. Bottom portion 36 is defined at the top by transverse tear line 33 formed along edge 37, and the inner surface of bottom portion 36 is glued by a spot 39 of strong-stick glue to bottom wall 20 of package 3.
[0034] In the Figure 9n embodiment, multifold coupon 26 comprises four transversely fan-folded sheets 42, 42', 42" 42"'.
[0036] Packet 1 of cigarettes as described above has numerous advantages. In particular, it is cheap and easy to produce, and prevents coupon 26 from interfering in any way with pull-off portion 5 of package 3, thus enabling easy access to the cigarettes in package 3. To remove pull-off portion 5, coupon 26 therefore need not be removed from packet 1, when unsealing the packet, but may be removed from the packet later, e.g. when a convenient, safe place in which to keep it is available.
1. A packet of cigarettes comprising :
a group (4) of cigarettes;
an inner package (3) enclosing the group (4) of cigarettes and having a front wall (21) and a rear wall (22);
an outer container (2) housing the inner package (3) and having a lid (7) hinged along a hinge (8), a front wall (11), and a rear wall (12) opposite the front wall (11) and having the hinge (8); and
a coupon (26) housed inside the outer container (2), between the outer container (2) and the inner package (3);
the packet (1) of cigarettes being characterized in that the coupon (26) is positioned contacting the rear wall (22) of the inner package (3), between the rear wall (12) of the outer container (2) and the rear wall (22) of the inner package (3).
2. A packet of cigarettes as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the coupon (26) is L-shaped,
and comprises a first portion (28) positioned contacting the rear wall (22) of the
inner package (3), between the rear wall (12) of the outer container (2) and the rear
wall (22) of the inner package (3); and a second portion (27) perpendicular to the
first portion (28) and positioned contacting a top wall (19) of the inner package
(3), between a top wall (9) of the outer container (2) and the top wall (19) of the
inner package (3).
3. A packet of cigarettes as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the first portion (28) of the
coupon (26) is glued to the rear wall (22) of the inner package (3).
4. A packet of cigarettes as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the first portion (28) of the
coupon (26) is glued by weak-stick glue to the rear wall (22) of the inner package
(3).
5. A packet of cigarettes as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the first portion (28) of the
coupon (26) is glued by strong-stick glue to the rear wall (22) of the inner package
(3), and has a transverse tear line (33) formed above the strong-stick glue.
6. A packet of cigarettes as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the coupon (26) comprises:
a first portion (28) positioned contacting the rear wall (22) of the inner package (3), between the rear wall (12) of the outer container (2) and the rear wall (22) of the inner package (3);
a transverse tear line (33);
a second portion (27) perpendicular to the first portion (28) and contacting a top wall (19) of the inner package (3), between a top wall (9) of the outer container (2) and the top wall (19) of the inner package (3); and
a third portion (36) perpendicular to the first portion (28) and contacting a bottom wall (20) of the inner package (3), between a bottom wall (10) of the outer container (2) and the bottom wall (20) of the inner package (3).
7. A packet of cigarettes as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the first portion (28) of the
coupon (26) has the transverse tear line (33); and an inner surface of the first portion
(28) of the coupon (26) is glued to the rear wall (22) of the inner package (3) by
strong-stick glue applied below the transverse tear line (33).
8. A packet of cigarettes as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the first portion (28) of the
coupon (26) is in turn divided into a central part (34) located above the transverse
tear line (33), connected to the second portion (27) of the coupon (26), and removable
from the outer container (2); and a bottom part (35) located below the transverse
tear line (33) and not detachable from the inner package (3).
9. A packet of cigarettes as claimed in Claim 6, 7 or 8, wherein the third portion (36)
of the coupon (26) is glued by strong-stick glue to the bottom wall (20) of the inner
package (3).
10. A packet of cigarettes as claimed in one of Claims 4 to 9, wherein the coupon (26)
comprises a fourth portion (40) perpendicular to the third portion (36) and contacting
the front wall (21) of the inner package (3), between the front wall (11) of the outer
container (2) and the front wall (21) of the inner package (3).
11. A packet of cigarettes as claimed in any one of Claims 4 to 10, wherein the coupon
(26) comprises a sheet of paper fan-folded lengthwise.
12. A packet of cigarettes as claimed in any one of Claims 4 to 10, wherein the coupon
(26) comprises a sheet of paper fan-folded crosswise.